New 'intelligent pill' releases correct amount of medicine

An "intelligent pill" has been developed that, once swallowed, will release the correct amount of medicine according to what the body needs.

Dubbed the "iPill", it contains a microprocessor, battery, wireless radio, pump and a drug reservoir to release medication in a specific area in the body.

Designed by Philips, the Dutch electronics giant, the iPill capsule measures acidity with a sensor to determine its location in the gut, before releasing the drug.

The company spokesman has said that the iPill can be used to treat digestive tract disorders such as Crohn's disease.

The dose can be sent directly to the location of the disease which means doses can be lower, reducing side effects.

The iPill can also measure the local temperature and report it wirelessly to an external receiver.

Currently capsules containing miniature cameras are already used as diagnostic tools, but they lack the ability to deliver drugs.

The company is expected to present the new technology at the annual meeting of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) in Atlanta this month.

Philips said that the iPill is a prototype but suitable for serial manufacturing.

The news comes days after it was announced that a tiny camera has been designed to fit inside a pill.

The device is swallowed by a patient and sends high-definition images of their insides to a special receiver worn around their waist - it is hoped that it will boost early detections of a host of illnesses.

The technique, called a Colon Capsule Endoscopy, is being tested in Britain for the first tim at one of five medical centres chosen worldwide.

The camera pill records more than 55,000 pictures over eight hours on its journey through the digestive system.